Bathtub



March 24, 1931.

F. E. 'KRAUSS BATHTUB Filed Feb. 24, 1950 Jnvenror:

Friedrichfmil Krauss.

Patented Mar. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES P TE T oFFIc FRIEDRICH EMIL KRAUSS, or sonwnnzn nnnne," GERMANY BATHTUB Application filed February 24, 1930, Serial No. 430,773, and in German -Maren 5,1929.

I have filed applications in Germany on March 5, 1929; Austria Nov. 11, 1929; Switzerland Nov. 14, 1929; Czechoslovak Republic NOV. 18, 1929; France Nov. 19,1929;

Belgium Nov. 20, 1929; England Dec; 12, 1929, of which the following is a specification.

The known bathing tubs with flat bottom suffer from the drawback that especially children can easily glide along upon that bottom towards the foot end of the tub, as they are very unreliably seated therein, in consequence whereof they must be carefully watched during the bathing procedure in 1 order to prevent their being drowned, and this is especially true in the case of small babies with their natural inclination to draw up their legs close to the body.

I am aware of the fact that it has alread been proposed to design a sitz-bathin this way that the foot part thereof forms a kind of tray designed and suited particularly for babies and requiring only a comparatively small amount of water. Using the foot part of the sitz-bath for that purpose is possible,

however, only for a-short time, as it becomestoo small for the growing baby alreadyafter a few m0nths;besides, just those parts of the childs body which require thorough so washing, especially the posteriors are accessible for the washing hand of the mother or nurse or the like only with difficulty.

Now, the present invention relates to a bath tub especially designed for bathing infants and small children, of conventional oblong shape and general conformation,but differing therefrom by the provision of a seat cavity in the tub bottom near the head end of the tub for the reception of the nates of the child, and of a gutter extending from the middle of said cavity in the direction toward the foot end of the tub, the bottom portions righthand and left-hand from said gutter remaining flat or horizontal, as usual, and forming supporting ledges for the legs. The cavity affords a secure seat for the child so as to prevent gliding, and the gutter affords the possibility to bring the washing hand to be- .low the posteriors, especially to the anus and the neighbouring portions of the thighs,

whereby the proper andthorough washing is greatly facilitated. 1

This configuration of the tub: bottom enables the child to' hold'itself in a safe position, and a bathing tub designed in the manner stated can be used for succeeding years in the growth of the child, in that the child when having become olderv can sit, at the other end of the tub where there is no cavity, but only the end of the gutter, this latter gradually rising from the cavity to the foot end of the, tub 'sothat it is, at this end, quite shallowiand not in the? least inconvenient.

, Theinventionis illustrated diagrammatt;

. cally and by; wayof example on the accompanylng drawing, on which Figure l is' a side-view of a bath tub designed according to this invention;

Figure'2 is a vertical longitudinal section therethrough, and

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section in the plane 33 of Fig. 2.

On the drawing, a is the tub, I) the cavity in thejbottom d, and e the gutter which extends longitudinally in the bottom from the cavity 7) to the part c. The bottom is subdivided by the gutter, graduallyflattening out, into two parallel parts d d which may be regarded as, and termed, leg supports. The gutter ascends from the cavity to the footpart 0 of the tub, and it is obviously easily possible for the washing hand to reach the posteriors and the neighbouring parts of the thighs.

It is suited to the purpose of the tub to provide it with one or two lateral recesses, such as f, Fig. 1, through which the person washing the baby or little child can intro duce her arm, generally the left arm, into the tub near the back of the child in order to hold this more conveniently and safely. Gen erally it will be sufiicient to provide that recess at the right side of the tub, for the left arm of the respective person, but,.if desired, also the left side of the tub may be provided with such a recess. 9

I claimb i e 1. A bath tub of the character set forth, especially for bathing infants and young children, comprising in combination with the tub proper of conventional oblong shape and includin a substantially horizontally extending ottorn, a seat cavity in the bottom at the head portion of the tub, a gradually rising and flattening out gutter, one-endedly communicating With said cavity at its lowermost portion andextending toward the foot end of the tub and there merging into the flat bottom portion thereof, and the flat bottom portions of the tub, flanking said gutter, forming horizontally extending leg-supporting ledges. I

2. A bath tub of the character set forth,

especially. for bat-hing infants and young children, comprising in combination With the tub proper ofconventional oblong shape and including a substantially horizontally extending bottom, a seat cavity in thebottom at'tlie head'portion of the tub, substan tially horizontal leg-supporting bottom pol tions extending'from said cavity to thefoot portion of the tub, an up slopin'ggntter communicatingly extending from said cavity between said leg-supporting bottom portions toward the foot end of the'tub; and an armreceiving recess inat" least one of the tub side walls at the head portion thereof open toward the rim of the tub Wall. 7 I

ln t'estimony whereof I atfix my signature.

FRIEDRICH EMIL KRAUSS.- 

